1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to food products. More particularly, the present invention relates to sweetened fruit products containing flaked cereal grains and to their methods of preparation.
2. The Prior Art
Wholesome snacks prepared from sweetened, intermediate moisture, shelf stable fruit have recently become popular food items. These compositions per se are sold in various physical forms and shapes. (See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,272,990, issued Oct. 18, 1941 to Forkner et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 2,650,880, issued Oct. 1, 1941 to A. M. Ericson). While popular, such fruit snacks nonetheless exhibit certain undesirable properties. For example, certain consumers prefer fruit snacks which are not as chewy. Also, the known fruit compositions undesirably stick to consumer's teeth. Further, present compositions frequently exhibit shiny surfaces which are perceived by some consumers as undesirably appearing as "processed." Moreover, even though these products are intermediate in moisture so as to be shelf stable, the known products are deficient in perceived moistness.
Previous art attempts at providing fruit products of reduced stickiness include U.S. Pat. No. 2,355,031 (issued Aug. 1, 1944 to S. Musher) which teaches the addition of a special dry milled oat fraction as an anti-stickiness agent. The '031 patent indicates that the finely divided oat fraction is not replacable in view of its unique properties by other fractions of oats or by other cereals or their fractions. It is also known to add to certain fruit products bran from wheat or rice to reduce gumminess or stickiness as well as providing vitamin fortification. (See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,006,773, issued Oct. 31, 1961 to G. F. Fitzgerald and U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,771. issued Dec. 20, 1983 to K. W. Stock et al.). However, notwithstanding the teachings of the prior art with regard to the usefulness of bran in reducing stickiness, the deficiencies of present sweetened fruit snacks do not appear to be remedial by the addition of bran.
In view of the prior art, there is a continuing need for new and useful sweetened fruit compositions which are not subject to the deficiencies noted in known compositions. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide sweetened fruit products having improved organoleptic properties.
In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide sweetened fruit compositions exhibiting desirably shorter textures.
It is another object of the present invention to provide sweetened fruit compositions which are of reduced stickiness to teeth.
Another object is to provide sweetened fruit compositions of intermediate moisture and which are shelf stable but have an enhanced perception of moistness.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide fruit products which are aesthetically appealing as less processed.
An important object of the present invention to obtain the above objects without the addition to the sweetened fruit formulation of ingredients which are not perceived by consumers as being "natural," i.e., containing only "natural ingredients". The term "natural" ingredients is used herein to refer to those ingredients which are not chemically modified nor chemically synthesized.
It has been surprisingly discovered that the above objectives can be realized and superior sweetened fruit provided by formulating compositions, comprising flaked cereal grains, fruit solids, carbohydrates and moisture.
Each of the patents cited herein are incorporated by reference.